What
is considered a weed to some may be a powerful medicine to others. Valued in
many cultures worldwide, this herbaceous succulent provides an array of
vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s omega-3 content rivals any other
green land plant and often grows almost uncontrollably.

Walking
like an Egyptian was something the Bangles taught us, but if we wanted to eat
like the Egyptians it would include the addition of purslane.
Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
is often overlooked as it sprawls out of sidewalks, driveways, and is considered
a pesky weed to many gardeners. But this superfood has been cultivated for over
2000 years and has an extensive culinary and medicinal history. Purslane is a
creeping plant that forms an intricate branching mat over large areas of ground.
With leaves that are round, green, and have a waxy appearance, purslane belongs
to the succulent family. The round stem stays fairly close to the ground and
varies in color. Once you are able to identify purslane, you will be surprised
at its ability to thrive in some of the harshest growing conditions.

Perhaps
its ability to thrive in stressful environments is part of what makes this plant
so beneficial. Purslane contains an impressive amount of alpha-linolenic
acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid. In fact, it ranks near
the top for omega-3 concentration amongst the green leafy land plants. With the
growing demand for omega-3 supplementation and a dwindling wild fish population,
purslane offers an abundant and cheap alternative.

Aside
from omega-3s, this weedy warrior contains vitamins A, C, and E, magnesium,
potassium, iron, manganese, and protein. With its nutrient-dense constitution,
this plant can provide a plethora of health benefits.

Purslane
is such a powerful antioxidant that it can protect against one of the most
harmful substances to the liver, acetaminophen
(one brand name is Tylenol). In a scientific study, ethanolic extracts of
purslane were used to examine its protective effects on acetaminophen liver
toxicity.

Why
does this matter? Because acetaminophen is responsible for more fatalities
annually than any pain reliever sold over-the-counter, and there are lots
of them. Poison control receives more inquiries about acetaminophen toxicity
than any other substance, upwards of 100,000 calls per year. According to
Medscape, “In the United States, acetaminophen toxicity has replaced viral
hepatitis as the most common cause of acute hepatic failure and is the second
most common cause of liver failure requiring transplantation.” Acetaminophen
doesn’t always act alone in drug therapy, and is often used in combination
with other prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Even when combined with other
drugs, acetaminophen was still primarily responsible for any fatalities that
occurred [Doyon
S, 2013].

BUT
don’t worry there is some good news out of this unfortunate
pharmaceutical-induced conundrum, purslane to the rescue! The results of that
purslane and acetaminophen study elucidated a few of the mechanisms by which
purslane defended the liver from its mortal enemy. Purslane was able to protect
liver cells from oxidative damage and even reverse some of the damage caused by
reactive oxygen species (ROS) [Liu
XF, 2015]. Decreases in IL-6 (interleukin 6) and TNFα (Tumor
Necrosis Factor alpha) were also seen which demonstrates the ability of purslane
to modulate the inflammatory process. In a separate study, purslane and nine
other plants were tested for their effects against the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Purslane was the only plant that triumphantly displayed liver-protective
benefits. An impressive 70% inhibition of HCV infection in liver cells was
recorded, and authors concluded it “could offer a future option to treat
chronic HCV.” [Noreen
S, 2015]

Additionally,
there are many other scientifically-supported reasons to add this incredible
edible to your diet. The side benefits of this proliferative plant
include:

Completely
removed BPA (and other phenolic endocrine disruptors) from water in 24 hours
[Imai
S, 2007]. Just one gram of purslane was used per 25 mL of
water. Researchers even manipulated the temperature, pH, and concentration
of BPA (same results were found for concentrations of BPA up to 5 times more
than originally tested).

In
an animal model, purslane was able to prevent gastric damage that was
chemically induced by hydrochloric acid (HCl) or ethanol, both of which are
very corrosive and painful gastric irritants. The protection by purslane was
dose-dependent and the results were comparable to a commonly used anti-ulcer
medication called sucralfate [Karimi
G, 2004]. It’s unfortunate these results have to be
replicated in animals when traditional use of purslane included treating
gastrointestinal diseases.

Significantly
decreased inflammation and pain when compared to the control, which was the
prescription drug diclofenac sodium [Chan
K, 2000].

Neuroprotection
when mice cortices were exposed to hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions. The
purslane extract increased the cell viability even under a greater than 50%
reduction of normal atmospheric oxygen concentrations [Wang W, 2007].

Provided
83% improvement (either partial or total) in a clinical trial on patients
with oral lichen planus (OLP). OLP is uncommon but a very painful chronic
inflammatory disease that can cause sores, lesions, and blisters in the
mouth, on the skin, or other mucous membranes of the body. According to a
2016 scientific review of 19 published studies on the association of HCV and
OLP, people with HCV are more likely to suffer from OLP [Alaizari
NA, 2016].

A
temporarily favorable effect on bronchodilation in patients with asthma.
According to the study, “The onset of brochodilatory effect of extract was
similar to that of theophylline beginning 60 min, but the effect of extract
decline after 120 min after administration. In conclusion, the results of
the present study showed that Portulaca oleracea has a relatively potent but
transient bronchodilatory effect on asthmatic airways.” [Malek
F, 2004].

Start
growing your own purslane here,
and it does spread - so make sure you plan accordingly. Or if you have
properly identified this plant (generally a good rule of thumb is to verify
plant identification in 2 or 3 reference books before consuming), start
adding it in small quantities to your diet. Try substituting some purslane
for basil in a pesto recipe, fresh leaves in a salad, ground cover in your
garden, or in your next glass of water!